


Time

by Jen425



Series: To Swap Our Places (Do You Wanna Feel How It Feels?) [2]
Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Genre: Alternative Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, F/M, M/M, Multi, Temporary Character Death, honestly idk what to tag this as, role reversal of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-05-28 18:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19399672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/pseuds/Jen425
Summary: …Maybe in another life





	Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheSecondBatgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSecondBatgirl/gifts).



> I’m fairly sure this isn’t what you expected, and I know it’s not what I planned on writing, but… I hope you still like this.
> 
> I’ve been playing with this AU for a while, and it just kind of… fell into place.

_ “Thanks for the help.” _

_ “I’m sure you could have handled it, but I was happy to.” _

_ “I’m Kimberly, by the way.” _

_ “I’m… Tommy.” _

  
  
  


The thing about time travel is that it means things can change. Less than you might think, as timelines reset, yet, occasionally, more than you could hope.

This isn’t really time travel, and these events won’t be fully remembered, but…

Time ripples.

And those with the Power remember.

“You were an ugly child,” Kimberly says, and, you know what? Maybe it’s not the nicest thing, but the old timeline’s memories are fresher on her brain, and she’s been evil for most of two and a half years, in those.

The other line is dead silent for a good, long moment.

“…Kimberly?”

“Alive and well because time travel never makes sense,” Kimberly says. “And you?”

“…Should be fine?” Adam says. “It’s a very long story. You’re… you’re alive.”

“Kat gave me a warning,” Kimberly explains. “I already called her. I hear Rocky and Tommy changed colors.”

“That’s still a little weird, to me,” Adam says. “But, hey. It’s only been a few days.”

Kimberly laughs.

“Took me a few days just to process the memories,” she says. “I did say it was possible, in another life.”

Adam is silent, for a very long time.

“Kimberly, What are we gonna do?”

“About what?”

“Us.”

Kimberly smirks, and, even though she knows he can’t see it through the phone, she has a feeling he can hear it in her voice as she says “Well, you’ll see, tonight.”

“What exactly are you planning?”

“My flight for Angel Grove leaves in ten minutes,” Kimberly says, simply. “And we’re all going to properly talk. God knows it could have saved us from some shit, the first time.”

“When do you get in?”

She tells him.

“Tommy and I will be there.”

(There’s a story, here, but is this the beginning or the end?)

  
  
  


_ “So Rita chose her Rangers?” _

_ “Just me and Red, so far.” _

_ “I won’t let you destroy Earth!” _

_ “I don’t think you have a choice.” _

  
  
  


The thing about mourning is that it’s not just sadness. Sadness would suggest fallen tears, a drab filter over a once colourful life.

(And, most painfully, the colors are still there.)

No, mourning is different. 

It’s somewhat numbness. It’s somewhat a loss of hope.

It’s also anger. A scream tearing from deep in your chest. An ache you can’t forget.

And, occasionally, it’s forgetfulness. The wrong name yelled across a battlefield.

(A battlefield that, through her actions, has all 7 standing together.)

But, most of all, it’s pain. Pain for everything lost.

It’s also somewhat regret. Regret…

For all the things not said.

“I wonder what she’d be like, if she’d not been corrupted,” Adam says, quietly. It’s been a month.

“Not that different, actually,” Tommy says. “I met them all about a month before they were taken, and she was… nicer, a little less sadistic, but she cared about her friends. And she cared about the world.”

“Rita sure is good at choosing good people, isn’t she?” Adam asks. Tommy laughs.

“Zedd just rents Ninjas,” he replies.

It’s a testament to the trust they’ve built, that they can say these things without bite.

“So… we’re talking about it, now?” Adam asks. Tommy sighs.

“I just wish we had, before,” he says. “‘In another life,’ right?”

Adam smiles.

“Right,” he says. “One where the Dark Academy never rose.”

“One where none of us killed each other,” Tommy says. “Where we were on the same side.”

“Wonder how I would have gotten the Power,” Adam says.

“Wonder if we could have had a chance,” Tommy replies.

(They would have. That’s the worst part.)

“I guess we’ll never know,” Adam says, quietly.

(They will, but that’s a story for another day.)

  
  
  


_ “Kimberly? What are you doing here?” _

_ “I’m a Pink Ranger. My team’s here.” _

_ “You’re Evil.” _

_ “And Zedd killed my Empress. I have revenge and loyalty to fuel me, Green, just like the others.” _

_ “I don’t trust you.” _

_ “Listen, you know I’m evil, And, personally, I think it’s fun to mess with both sides, but my team’s gone good. So you’re stuck with me, whether you let me in or not.” _

_ “…We’ll see.” _

  
  
  


The thing about death is that it is inevitable. You can fight it, with everything you have. You can live your life to the fullest. In the end, you can waste it, too.

Death always comes for you, in the end.

Selfish.

Unavoidable.

Kimberly knew the spell was breaking, though she didn’t want to admit it, walls broken down by two boys in Green and White who welcome her, all of her, despite everything.

And Kimberly loves them.

(Someone once said that those who can love are never truly evil, and that’s very much true.)

She knows the corrupted coin, tied to her evil life force while under the spell, won’t work for the real her.

(Even if, by this point, she barely remembers who she was...before.)

And there’s a way to purify the coin, but it will cost her her life.

Kat joining their group is just a happy coincidence.

Zordon warns her of the dangers, but Kimberly just growls.

“Shut up, old man,” she says. “It’ll kill me, anyways. At least this way you can have a replacement.”

“Be that as it may,” Zordon says, “let us see what we can do to prolong your life.”

Kimberly sighs.

“Fine,” she says. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  
  
  


_ “I’m Adam.” _

_ “I’m Tommy, and this is Kim. Are you looking for someone?” _

_ “Yes. Do you happen to know Zack Taylor?” _

_ “We do. Why are you looking for him?” _

_ “No reason. He just borrowed… something that belongs to me.” _

  
  
  


The thing about love is that it’s often hard to admit.

Sometimes you can’t say it, at all.

It hovers between them, an unspoken entity blocked by past hurts, betrayals on both sides, even if they were the right choices.

But the love continues to blossom. They have allies, yes, but it’s just them at the end of the day.

“Why did you give us that tip?” Adam asks, one day. It’s a question that he had once believed would always remain a mystery. Kimberly shrugs.

“I’m still your Pink,” she says. “And Tommy’s. I didn’t want you to die unless I got to kill you, masks off.”

“And now?”

Kimberly smirks.

“Well, now I work with you,” she says.

“I’m not sure that comforts me,” says Tommy, entering the room. Kimberly just smiles all the more and flops down across her two teammates.

The thing about love is… love is the opposite of evil.

She doesn’t even know that the spell is falling apart.

  
  
  


_ “Thank you, for your help.” _

_ “I made my choice. I just… I’ll miss them.” _

_ “It’s hard. Being friends with the enemy.” _

_ “At least they don’t have Ranger powers, anymore.” _

_ “But you could.” _

_ “What- oh… oh. Is that…?” _

_ “Zedd and Rita may no longer have Rangers, but their monsters are still dangerous, and I could use a hand…” _

_ “What are you saying?” _

_ “I’m saying… Will you become the Green Ranger?” _

_ “Yes.” _

  
  
  


The thing about working with the enemy is that it never goes as planned.

“Just to be clear,” Kimberly says, “I’m still evil. I’m just sick of working for Rita and Zedd.”

Adam looks at Tommy. Tommy looks at him. It’s a test of faith, to let her in.

But they need all the help they can get.

They teleport her inside, and they welcome her to the team.

“I don’t like this,” Adam says, later that evening after Kimberly is gone. “Kim is vicious.”

Tommy frowns.

“I don’t, either,” he says. “But, without her, they can’t form their Megazord. And…”

“And?” Adam asks, grabbing Tommy’s arm, gently. Tommy smiles.

“Another Pink once told me Rangers are supposed to be a team,” he says. “Remember? And I guess… I should be more cynical, after what happened last time, but I guess I wish that  _ we _ could have that. A team, all seven of us.”

Adam smiles back. Because… well, he’s thought the same thing.

“We can hope,” he says. “I think quite a bit of this war is based on belief, and I believe in us.”

Tommy laughs.

“So do I,” he says. “So do I.”

  
  
  


_ “…so, yeah. They’re going into space, to kidnap Ninjor and force him to make them new, stronger Power Coins. I just wish I knew why Kimberly told me. And now Rocky and Aisha are… they don’t have a choice.” _

_ “I’m sorry.” _

_ “Don’t be. I already made mine.” _

_ “We  _ have _ to stop them.” _

_ “And if we can’t?” _

_ “Then… I guess we rescue Ninjor and see if we can gain a power up of our own. The Astros… have their own problems, now.” _

_ “We both knew this was coming.” _

_ “That’s the part that I hate the most.” _

  
  
  


Here’s the thing about the universe. Sometimes it changes in small ways, familiar ways.

Sometimes things are nearly unrecognizable.

And, frankly, Kimberly is as much bored of being on the same side as she is angry at the treatment of her team.

In truth, however, it’s not until that fight with Rita that she decides to go.

“I want to join your side,” Kimberly repeats, for about the hundredth time to the trying-to-be-intimidating Green and White Rangers. She’d be more convinced if it weren’t for their eyes, hope in both and and betrayal in Tommy’s.

“How do we know we can trust you?” Tommy asks. She shrugs.

“You did before.”

“I remember that not going very well,” Adam comments. Kimberly just shrugs.

“Not for Aisha,” she says. “I love her, but she killed my first Yellow.”

“You joined Zedd, though.”

“And now I’m bored,” Kim replies.

“Simple as that?”

Kimberly sighs.

“Yes,” she says. “Simple as that.”

  
  
  


_ “You’re dying…” _

_ “And you didn’t tell us.” _

_ “I figured you guys would go looking for a solution that doesn’t exist.” _

_ “Of course we would. We lo—” _

_ “Don’t you dare say it!” _

_ “But it’s true. For me, too.” _

_ “…Maybe in another life. Now, please. Help me focus. If I do this right, my bow’s arrows should work as a purifying force, in the next battle.” _

_ “We’ll have a full team.” _

_ “Exactly.” _

  
  
  


The thing about stories is that everyone has one. And the thing about history is that it breeds familiarity.

And the thing about origins is that some are in the middle.

“I made my mistakes,” Adam says. “But I see them, now. I side with the White Ranger.”

The Dark Academy rose long ago. Many, many pieces have fallen into place.

And Adam Park takes Green Power much earlier than expected.

“I’m evil,” Kimberly says. “And, personally, I think it’s fun to mess with both sides, but my team’s gone good.”

Coins changed hands in painful ways. Five kids remain such for a few months longer.

And Kimberly Hart begins her journey on the wrong side.

“I will do whatever I can,” Tommy says. “To stop Rita and make up for what I’ve done.”

Certain teams were always fated to die. Others were always meant to stand.

And the Green Ranger stands alone, at the start.

(But the team will always come together in the end.)

  
  
  


_ “You’re here.” _

_ “Somehow. Mind telling me why I have two sets of memories?” _

_ “Long story. Master Vile set the clock back, but he kept us where we were.” _

_ “You avoided me.” _

_ “Do you blame us?” _

_ “Not really. Both of you are idiots.” _

_ “I missed you.” _

_ “We both did.” _

_ “…So do I. And I…” _

_ “You don’t have to say it.” _

_ “No. I think I do. I… I love you.” _

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.


End file.
